“I Landed on Plastic Chairs”: Golden Tate Relives His Embarrassing Jump Into the Michigan State Marching Band

Golden Tate is a name NFL fans haven’t heard in a while, but one that still rings familiar in places like Detroit, Seattle, and New York. He was never a stat-sheet monster and made just one Pro Bowl, yet Tate carved out cult-hero status thanks to his larger-than-life personality. He played with fire, fearlessly attacking defensive backs in ways that sometimes landed him in controversy, but also earned him the respect and admiration of his teammates.

For all the catches, scraps, highlights, and even a Super Bowl ring, what fans remember most about Tate is that feisty nature, something he first put on display in college at Notre Dame. In three strong years with the Irish, Tate became a unanimous All-American and the Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top wideout.

One of his most unforgettable moments came in 2009 against Michigan State. Notre Dame was coming off a tough loss to Michigan, head coach Charlie Weis was under fire, and the Irish desperately needed a spark. Down 29–26 late in the game, QB Jimmy Clausen (yes, the same guy who once tried to charge Cam Newton a million dollars for the No. 2 jersey) launched a deep ball, 65 yards in the air, to the left sideline. Tate extended, hauled it in, and powered into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown.

What happened next is football lore. Momentum carried Tate through the back of the end zone and straight into the Michigan State marching band. Instead of stopping, he leapt headfirst into the sea of instruments, toppling a few unsuspecting band members in the process.

But Tate’s own version of the story adds another layer. Looking back now, as the 16th anniversary of the play approaches, he remembers locking eyes with a girl in the front row of the band. He saw the fear on her face; she knew a full-speed football player was about to crash into her.

“I just saw fear in her eyes, and in that split second, I was like, all right, if I jump and land on everybody, that’s better than me hitting this little girl that probably never played sports in her life. So I jumped and tried to land on everyone, and the Michigan State band moved out of the way. I just landed on plastic chairs instead, and thankfully, adrenaline was rolling because I was more sore from that jump than any part of the game.”

The adrenaline of the touchdown numbed the pain, but the memory and the legend lived on.

 

 

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Golden Tate went on the have many memorable moments in his decade-long career in the NFL, including winning the Super Bowl, but fans still remember him for that.